Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Cyntia (Artemis)

Cyntia with no “h” - when searching, you can expect to have to click links saying “Search only for ‘Cyntia’?” Otherwise you get everything but them. But well worth the search.
Cyntia is a phonetic form of an English pronunciation of the name Cynthia, which is supposed to be another name for the goddess Artemis.
 They spend more time doing PowerPop/Rock oriented stuff rather than metal oriented compared to the majority of others in this series. Fun though. Variety I like. Good roadtrip music. And how cool is it for your lead singer to be named Saki?
Saki has a mostly natural sounding vocal style, comfortable to hear. When she lets loose the volume, it almost always sounds effortless. It soars. 
And - she has the ability to use a bit of vibrato without overdoing it. That is vital to listenability for me. I can handle none or a little. Overdo and I feel like running for the exit. Saki wins.
And the band is great, top-level musicianship, with its own mix of traditional rock and metal (plus the aforementioned PowerPop), sometimes traditional Japanese elements, and occasional other touches pulled from the middle east, from jazz... Their quality seems to be more the norm than not of the Japanese rock/metal groups who make it onto YouTube, really. Some examples -

Endless World - Playing a smaller club, Saki very casual in T-shirt and shorts, doing a cute childlike chorus, yet with solid strong instrumental work...

More dressed up and rocking a bit harder at Blaze, a bigger venue with flashing lights, et cetera:

At Blaze, Part 2 - more intense, more metal elements included now and then:

One of their more metallic rockers, “Through the Fire and Desire”
Another reminder of how much fun Japanese groups have with the stronger rock and metal tunes. I gotta learn more of the language...

“Ride on Time” - I mentioned rockin’ road music, right? Or dancing, whatever.

GeAr - Kickin’ hard rock and Saki leading “the wave” all in one song... I like.

A rock anthem of sorts, originally released in 2013 - and, Ayano gets mobile with an Edgar Winter style keyboard-with-strap -
Return to Myself ~ Shinai, Shinai, Natsu

Green Eyed Monster


Saki – Vocals
Yui – Guitars, Chorus
Ayano – Keyboards, Piano, Chorus 
Azu - Bass, Chorus 
Natsume – Drums, Percussion, Chorus (Support)

  Their music runs from heavy rock to well, pretty much pop. Being one of the few bands I’m reviewing in this series who is signed to a major recording label is  probably an influence. 
In 2015, previous drummer Kanoko Matsukawa left following the widely disrespected “Woman” album (many considered it fluff). She had co-founded the group in 2011 with lead guitarist Yui.
They apparently realized how far astray they had gone and came back with a stronger sound on “Urban Night” in late 2016, followed by the “Urban Night” promo tour going into 2017 . It looks like Natsume played “support” drums for them but isn’t officially a member? The band website has a picture of the other four as the main banner and that’s it.
They are said to be on hiatus as of January 2018. Reason given was Yui had a health problem.
Since Natsume’s main gig with Raise a Suilen took off and she became less available about then, that MIGHT have been a factor too.
I would really like to see (and hear) Cyntia regroup and continue.
Cyntia Urban Nights promo pic, less Natsume


Their site

Their Encyclopedia Metallium page, doesn’t mention Natsume

Same site, page on Kanoko

The Wiki schtick. Ignores the work of Natsume.


Natsume’s blog. Not terribly current, but it is showing her playing for Cyntia through December 17, 2017, under the “Schedule” tab (also the “Media” tab shows the cover of the Cyntia “Urban Night” DVD among other things). Then I see names like Raychelle, The Third, Shazna going as far as April 2018. I see references  on her Facebook etc. to “Raise a Suilen”. A short review of that group will be following soonly.

Natsume’s Instagram

And her Facebook photos, including concert posters, show her with Cyntia. So this is the correct Natsume.

Drumming demo with disassembly and reassembly of a snare drum. Explaining it in Japanese of course.


Okay. Done. Will pick up with “Raise a Suilen” next, because of the Natsume connection.


J 




 
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Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Bridear

Playing Graz, Austria, 2018-11-27
One of Bridear’s early publicity photos carried the text, “Gal Metal Band from Fukuoka” which I think was pretty much to the point.
  The instrumentals are strong. IMHO, Kimi sounds more garage-punk than metal, usually. When they have another singer (Misa until her exit) doing metal “death growl” lines back and forth with her, THEN it sounds more metal. Just my opinion. Can’t do that every song though because it’s hard on the throat.
They do several numbers with guitars playing identical notes, plus a few harmonizing as well, then back. Kinda neat.
  “Skew Lines” (2016) was one of their densest metal offerings. Lately, trying for a more “commercial” approach, “Dear Bride” (album “Helix” 2018) sounds more PowerPop. There’s a lot in between.
     They were formed in 2011 and have had only one change in the members. Their 2013 album “Overturn the Doom” had a cover scene that is darkish on the viewer’s side, but a door is partway open with a bright light shining from beyond... and several of their songs include the idea of light overcoming darkness, which illustrates my impression that Japanese female metal bands tend to be heavy-duty with their instruments and at the same time, more positive in spirit and message than many western death-metal bands. They clearly plan on winning and living.

Lead guitarist Misa departed in 2017, citing different goals (she was not feeling the new pop-ish direction as I understand), and early in 2018 they gained Misaki. Since then they recorded the album “Helix”.
https://visualioner.com/2018/03/30/misaki-has-joined-bridear-new-look/

Official website, which has a button for which language to use:
https://bridear.jp/

YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqkHezzlbqWrmOhoTcZTVjg

https://twitter.com/Bridear_info

https://mobile.twitter.com/Bridear_info

And this is Misaki’s page -
https://twitter.com/black_rainyday

Metal Archives page:
https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Bridear/3540368187

And
https://www.last.fm/music/Bridear

Former guitarist Misa:
https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Misa/515792

 https://www.jrocknews.com/2017/09/bridears-misa-depart-european-tour.html

A review of the 2018 “Helix” album. A dude is doing the growls on G-A-M-E? Sigh. Can anyone confirm/deny?
https://www.metal-archives.com/reviews/Bridear/Helix/703055/Liquid_Braino/198103

A live version of G-A-M-E, which definitely has Kimi doing the growls.
           https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiFZ_JWKVwE

Group member profiles:
https://bridear.jp/profile/

Yoshitsuru is leaving at 2018 year end:
https://bridear.jp/news/美弦%E3%80%80脱退のご報告/


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Sunday, December 23, 2018

The Amazing Aldious

“Once upon a time...” there was Aldious, and there is Aldious, and there shall be Aldious. The decade-old group has reinvented itself before, and they will again.
The name was coined by original co-founder Rami (with guitarist Yoshi) as a contraction based on the phrase “Ultimate Melodious” and it works, I think. They started in Osaka in 2008. So quite a few folks see them as being the inspiration for the many female metal-influenced bands since then. They are a biggie, and they’re still together, but there were others before (Show-Ya comes to mind).
Original vocalist Rami (with whom they came across with a fairly traditional metal feel) left in 2011 to get married. She has been doing some performances on her own since then, very metal sounding. Vocalist Re:NO has been with them since 2012 and is a talented songwriter. Her usually soft voice has been described as “ethereal” and her mostly white and pastel colored frilly chiffon princess dresses are more fantasy atmosphere than traditional metal. (She can totally still do the hair-whip headbanging stuff though.) I was just getting used to that, but recently they have been going more for a blackout look. Couldn’t help but notice that one of guitarist Yoshi’s outfits appeared to be black leatherette with spike studs covering the bra portion... I’m guessing they decided to try to go “badass look” there.
Yoshi and bassist Sawa are the two remaining original members. Yoshi seems the most serious, at least on stage. Sawa left to play in Galmet, and for awhile was actually playing in both bands when she first returned. She (and guitarist Toki) smiles so giddily she has been called the happiest bassist in rock.
With Re:NO the sound has more allowance for her voice and more experimentation. Not a bad thing. They still can and do lay down a kickin’ metal sound on a regular basis.
I should also mention Marina, their most recent addition and a very capable drummer. Since her arrival she has more than proven her chops as a masterful percussionist, despite not having any other groups in her resume that I could find. If anyone knows of her membership with other groups, links are appreciated.

An interesting review on them from 2014.
http://www.invisibleoranges.com/aldious-highly-stylized-j-pop-esthetics/

Some info pages on them:
https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Aldious/3540296084

After writing the above,  I found that Metal-Archives lists vocalist Re:NO as “former” member (which is maybe ahead of time); because of that I looked and sure enough, she’s leaving after their last performance of the year (December 17) due to an ear problem (eustachian valve issue). Well, crap.  She has brought some memorable songs and unique style to a largely metal-influenced group and helped them stand out, I think. I will be curious where they go from here. They seem to me to be survivors.
https://twitter.com/ReNO_Aldious

 https://www.instagram.com/p/BXlAxEzFTKF/

Maybe we can keep up with her here. I see a post acknowledging that she will be leaving the group after their last show this month:
https://ameblo.jp/renomusic/

Go Away - ironically, this was one of their more recent tunes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1rxMeISxbE

Posted this yesterday on a social media site; notice she wore her chiffon dress again for this last performance:

Photo date December 17 - Bittersweet day.
Re:NO’s last bow.
Aldious had their last performance with lead singer/songwriter “Re:NO” the 17th. She had to leave the band because of an ear condition worsening with her performing. She brought a neo-fantasy character to the metal band with her song directions and her Barbie-in-a-pastel-chiffon dress look. I was just getting used to that and appreciating her music and now it’s over.
 Aldious survived the departure of Rami six years ago and hired another singer/songwriter/frontwoman (Re:NO); I expect they will find a replacement and transform, again. But a lot of fans will miss Re:NO and hope she finds a solution for her problem.
 [photo on Barks.jp website]
 https://img.barks.jp/image/review/1000162974/001.jpg


J



Update on Aldious 2019-04-09:

  Aldious is doing the “Evoke” tour.  From Wikipedia:
“On February 18, 2019, Aldious announced the Evoke Tour consisting of 45 dates in Japan and using guest vocalists R!N, and Saki from Cyntia.”

Hmmm... Tryouts maybe?
R!N I believe is the same as “Rin” of one of the several versions of Destrose. If so, here’s a sample of her work with them, which I like quite well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o7fktsBwQg

A live version. A tad thick on the vibrato for me, still very listenable:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KomzWVfAmGQ

So R!N could be a good one if she doesn’t overdo the vibrato, IMHO.

Saki, formerly of Cyntia, has the subtlety to follow Re:NO. I like her work a lot. The only caveat I see is that she doesn’t lean too far in the pop direction. Cyntia went that way for awhile and lost a sizable chunk of their hard rock/metal-appreciating audience.

Aldious has a rich musical legacy and a lot of talent. Build on that and Aldious will have a long life and prosper in its third incarnation.
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The Japanese Wave of All-Female Rock and Metal Bands...

I’m going to be sharing info on some Japanese artists in a series of posts, but I want to explain how I view the US music scene first, then I’ll go there.
Today, the music business in the USA tends to be dominated by a few companies with their chosen songwriters, and which treat their artists like commodities. Many original musicians have chosen to go their own way, releasing their own creations online and through CDBaby (where you can place an order and have an album “burned” to CD and mailed to you) , for example, and not even trying for a traditional contract. (“What? You don’t want us to exploit, limit and dictate to you, use and abuse you?”)
So our radio airwaves are filled with material that mostly sounds the same, while more original songs and sounds are mostly from independent artists you have to go looking for. YouTube, SoundCloud, PureVolume, ReverbNation, CDBaby are possible places. Look up an artist you like on YouTube and they will suggest others they think are in a similar genre. Explore.
Earlier I shared some stuff on Band-Maid.  That was the beginning of my learning more about Japanese bands, especially the current wave of all-female rock and metal bands in Japan. 
The Japanese music scene has a strong pop presence. Japanese “J-Pop” is big, as is Korean “K-Pop” . But like the USA, a lot of original music happens “underground” - often literally, in basement clubs under buildings belonging to other businesses, usually with performances after their business hours. (Of course, this isn’t new. One of the Beatles’ early venues was The Cavern Club in Liverpool, established in the cellar of a fruit warehouse. And the owners of the Cavern were inspired by the cellar jazz clubs in Paris.)
Metal and metal-influenced rock are very active, with bands forming constantly, and many of these clubs are dedicated to those genres. In a sense, the most creative bands each create their own genre, as it is necessary to distinguish THIS group from the crowd. Typically each will have a particular gimmick, schtick or style for their act. Each member will show themselves as individual, but within that style. Remember how the “Power Rangers” children’s TV show characters had exactly the same outfit, just with different colors? And yet each was supposed to have a different personality. Today’s J-Rock bands aren’t quite that extreme, but everything is about the team, and each personality seen onstage may or may not be the actual private personality of the individual.
I say this to hopefully help you appreciate what you’re seeing in the music videos. Band-Maid’s Miku got the idea for their approach while working at a “maid cafe” and that is where her whole “moi, moi!” audience participation cheer comes from, and much of her other chatter, besides their original outfits (which have gone though considerable changes, at least with Saiki and Misa). Akane was first weirded out by the outfits, but decided it was worth it when she heard the sound they were going for.
Band-Maid and a number of other groups play to some degree (at least to western eyes) on childlike qualities and impression. Then, in the metal and rock genres at least, they blast you with a powerful sound. In real life, the band members of all these groups are typically twentysomethings. Miku of Band-Maid plays the most childlike role of them but she is the oldest, currently 28 I believe. Saiki is the youngest at 24 last I knew.
You can also see this approach in Babymetal, although they are not within the category of all-female bands I’m discussing here; the women of Babymetal are a talented song-and-dance trio fronting a male band, and doing their best to seem like precocious little girls.
Each band here has its own thing going. The vast majority seem to have taken some cues from speed metal, so you will hear a lotta superfast guitar work in there, and sometimes remember to let the bass player shine which is nice.
As a general rule, Japanese artists strive to give everything 200%. Anything less would not be honorable. I mentioned earlier about Band-Maid’s Saiki having to have surgery to remove nodes from her vocal cords, typically caused by vocal strain. When Misa was first learning slap-bass technique, she practiced so intensely she had blisters when it was time to record. She went into the studio and recorded ANYWAY.
And their drummer Akane has voiced her determination to “smash” the perception that women can’t play hard rock. It seems she has lots of company; the all-female bands coming from Japan are technically superb and often inspired.
It would appear that Kurt Cobain’s prophecy that women are the future of rock is coming true, and in 2018 it is led by Japan.
Specific band reviews follow.

J
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Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Lacuna Coil - More Than an Empty Tune

Lacuna Coil started in the 1990s and is still one of the great metal bands. They have both a powerful sound and actual melodic lines. They’re from Italy originally. If you're a fan of European metal, you've probably heard them.
  The name means an empty spiral. The cover art on their album "Karmacode" was a play on that.
  This is one of their happier tunes.
Cristina’s voice is still one of the most beautiful and clear in the world. She has been known to hit A7 BTW.
Oh, and  she’s now 46 so in the video here, she’s 42. Many think she looks more like 30s.
More on them in a later update.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtft6LqgFSA

A short intro to their history. Note their first release was in 1998.
https://www.songkick.com/artists/183125-lacuna-coil

You can get an overview of their CD releases here:
https://www.discogs.com/artist/215670-Lacuna-Coil

Look them up on YouTube, Wikipedia, etc.
Lacuna Coil
Cristina Scabbia

More on them in a later update.

J
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Monday, October 2, 2017

Band-Maid: Rock Maid in Japan

Recently Youngest Son played a couple of Band-Maid videos for me.
Holy crap.
This is one hard-rocking band.
These are NOT entertainer-dancers with a soundtrack. They are musician-artists who can sing on key and play their instruments at a high proficiency, with both skill and soul. And a metal edge. If you listen, use speakers or headphones that are capable of serious bass frequency reproduction and power, because believe me, it's here.
The lyrics are mostly Japanese, with an occasional word or phrase in English.
Okay. These are twentysomething Japanese women dressed in faux-little-maid outfits (just a smirking artistic touch, related to a trend in female Japanese bands)... who crank up the music so strongly that metal fans are among their most loyal followers. They are independent artists who were just hoping to make enough to keep playing, but then they played a Comicon event, someone with the right connections heard them and set up a large venue in London, and once that very cosmopolitan audience heard them, suddenly they were known by people from all over the world. They thought they were going to be opening for someone else, but the money offered was really good so they went. While setting up their instruments, they learned they were THE only act booked that day. They played their hearts out. But people were stepping outside and calling their friends to come HEAR this. People were coming in from all over London and new people were circulating in as soon as room allowed. So they played back-to-back sets, for NINE HOURS.
 BTW, their tune "Thrill" is about this, their big break.
  Hooks they've got.
  When required, pop smoothness they've got.
  And rompin', stompin' rock and roll they've got.
  What was so impressive about them? Guess you'll have to listen and see. Some Official videos. The tagline, “Welcome home, master and princess” included there in the posting notes is often used as part of live concert opening by Miku - the sort of greeting might expect from one's Japanese maid on arrival:
 
Choose Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZIJ2vFxu9Y

Secret My Lips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vuca7V-5Ec

Yolo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKZbzcUdY1g
There are several other videos of Band Maid on YouTube including live concert appearances; they vary widely in quality. Some of the better quality examples:

Nowhere near High-Res, but an energetic performance of "Freedom", live in Paris a year ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36_KRDPcKLo

Typical startup with Miku (dressed mostly in white) cranking up the audience, then they slam into the first number, November 2016 Manga festival in Spain. There are three vids of their appearances there on YouTube. Notice the poster's note: "Play it much louder."
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIyONnd4yMU

Same concert doing "Thrill":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia91tCY2nig

Included mostly for unique perspective of being onstage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eqwo40Io_Q8

Another outdoor performance, in Japan, with some better quality video and nice closeups:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfTzZffxLsg

One more, Inazuma Rockfes in Japan. Note the plastic covers over the amplifier head units; they were dealing with intermittent rain:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I55xmNTNtc&t=480s

The following links are also in the posting notes for the official band video releases on YouTube:
Official Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/bandmaid/

More info is on the band's own site. The Bio/History is barely there at all, but the page includes individual members' pics with names so you can tell who is whom:
http://bandmaid.tokyo/BIOGRAPHY

Official Twitter
 https://twitter.com/bandmaid

Official Instagram
 https://www.instagram.com/bandmaid.jp

Buy CD (European Edition):
http://www.jpurecords.com/artists/band-maid/

Buy CD (WORLD)
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/person/700668888




J
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Thursday, December 9, 2010

Ah, the Guilty Pleasure: Porcelain and the Tramps

  The subject of Guilty Pleasure music choices came up in an online discussion recently, and I wrote the next three paragraphs.  Then it grew.

  My upbringing was somewhat strict. So a musical act where the singer covers anger and/or sex and uses bad words has a certain guilt attached.  I can hear my ex: You LIKE that? I can't believe you would listen to that!  Shame, shame.
  I have some of those now.  Lately it's been hard to get enough of Porcelain and the Tramps.  Why?  Would I actually like this person on a social basis?  I dunno... Alaina, or the part she plays, comes across as belligerently blunt, bossy, frequently profane and ready to take what she wants in a relationship, usually sex.  With exultation.  I tend to turn it down when pulling into a parking lot or next to another car.  And then... back up ASAP.  She can write and sing and be fresh and creative, with gusto.
   Okay, maybe not as guilty artistically as the Madonna and Britney stuff I had.  But in other ways yeah.

   Why not artistically?  Porcelain can go from a kicking chanting sound to a sweet bit of melody that could have been from the 1940s or 1920s or even earlier, while never letting you forget this is a self-aware, self-empowered Modern Girl... then combine those elements and pump them out in another and another way.    She explores you-will-not run-over-ME anger/determination (Gasoline and My Leftovers), grinning romantic sexual intention (Sugarcube), desire versus talk of desire (You Want), wry and sarcastic appraisal of vanity and deceit (Transparent), and an adoring/judging prude (The Neighbor), an apparent mistress-slave relationship (King of the World), a romantic relationship post-mortem (The Preying Mantis), a look at the dynamics of prostitution (Redlight District, ironically maybe the most radio-playable song yet), the self-explanatory I'm Your Favorite Drug, a joy-of-sex number (I Feel Perfect), and pride of being really fantastic at it (F*** like a Star).  Um, yeah, largely about sex and sexual romance and power... and pursuing fun to actually grab it, not to pine away like some maudlin Victorian.  She's quite clear about what she means.  Yet in her bluntness, she writes damn good poetry, uses alliteration and illustrations and empirical statements et cetera in ways that flow seamlessly, and shows the same talent in melody lines, beats and pacing that can turn on a hair without losing its way.  Rock and Roll?  Dance Music?  Pop?  Classifying her is pointless and hysterical - at least half of this cannot be played on the air.  Which is sad because (A) lovemaking has to be superior to hate and THAT gets played all the *%# time, and (B) Porcelain is a world-class treasure of an artist.    If the world weren't so dang prudish and artistic justice existed, she would be recognized as such and be ridiculously rich.  Crap.  What a downer.  What would make me feel better?
    Well - other than that - I'm gonna listen to Sugarcube again.
    And smile.

   Porcelain and The Tramps is essentially Alaina Beaton's group, and at any given time can include the musicians that work for the time and situation.  If there's better info on that, feel free to correct me. She has been writing and performing on a professional level at least 5 years that I know of.  She's currently 25, pretty, has a fine ability to create her own striking dramatic style and loaded with independent attitude.  A true underground star, IMHO.  Wiki doesn't have an article on her or the band, though they do list them in a couple of other articles:


    They DID have an article on Wiki, but it was deleted for "Lack of Notability" (as was Alaina's):
   - Despite listing her in a string of articles about other artists she's worked with - co-wrote "How Do You Love Someone" for "Guilty Pleasure" by Ashley Tisdale, also co-wrote "Lolita" for Belinda's Carpe Diem CD, more of the same with L.P. (singer),  is featured on "Action" on "We Are Machines" album by Street Drum Corps...  But Urban Dictionary knows her:

   -  Which is pretty much Underground Cult Queen defined, I reckon.  It is mentioned here and there that some consider them "Industrial" rock.  I haven't the foggiest idea why.  She can go through 3 or 4 genres in a single song, and none of them sound like what I would consider Industrial - think Rammstein.  Anyroad - her MySpace site:
Which references her Twitter site - don't usually include these but she doesn't have that many:

   Check YouTube for videos - mostly fan slideshows it would seem.
And this appears to be her Facebook location:

 - Or at least one of them.  Search there on her name and you'll see what I mean.

   Have fun - but don't say I didn't warn ya.

J
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